1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly for packaging and dispensing a product, and in particular, packaging for a liquid or creamy product such as a pharmaceutical or dermo-pharmaceutical product.
More specifically, the invention relates to a packaging and dispensing assembly which includes a pump mounted on an external enclosure for receiving a product reservoir, such as a refill insert containing a single dose of a given product.
2. Description of the Related Art
European Patent No. A-0 638 367 teaches a refillable packaging and dispensing assembly, which includes a reservoir for the product, a neck, and a rigid casing surrounding the reservoir and having an opening through which the neck of the reservoir protrudes. A pump is threadedly engaged onto the neck of the reservoir.
For such assemblies, it is desirable that replacement of the refill can be performed as simply and quickly as possible. Moreover, the cost of the disposable part of the assembly, in this case the refill, must be as low as possible. However, it has been found that replacing the product reservoir to refill the container of the conventional container, requires a certain number of time-consuming operations. Such operations include unscrewing, insertion, positioning and manual holding of the refill, and lastly screwing the pump back on.
Also known in the art is a dispenser which includes a casing surrounding a reservoir, and a dispensing pump crimped to the upper part of the casing. The pump includes an actuating shaft housed in a dispensing duct arranged in the casing. A lower portion of the reservoir projects a considerable extent from the casing so that the reservoir (including the pump) can be taken hold of easily and be replaced easily by a new reservoir. However, it has been found that this device has several disadvantages. One disadvantage associated with this design is related to its aesthetic quality, due to the protruding part of the reservoir. Moreover, to operate the pump, the user has to use a thumb to press the bottom of the reservoir to make it slide in the casing so as to eject a dose of product while holding the top part of the casing with the middle finger or the index finger. Accordingly, the height of the reservoir must be limited because this device can no longer be used properly when it has a height in excess of approximately 8 cm to 10 cm. If its height were any greater, many people would not be able to use the container since their hand would be too small to properly operate the pump. Moreover since the device is held between the thumb and the index finger of the user during use, treatment of certain parts of the body is impossible or at least difficult, in particular, lower parts of the body.